Brace for ladies&#39; heels



BRACE FOR LADIES HEELS Filed March 6, 1961 INVENTOR. FI E l B Ema/co MASSENZ United States Filed Mar. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 93,637 4 Claims. (Cl. 36-34) This invention relates to shoe construction, and more particularly to-reinforcing means for the heels of ladies shoes of the type wherein a' lift is employed with the heel.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved reinforced heel construction for ladies shoes, said construction involving very simple components, greatly increasing the durability of the heels, and enabling lifts to be readily attached to the heels.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved reinforcing brace for ladies heels, particularly, for relatively thin heels, said brace being easy to install, protecting the heel against breaking or splitting, and providing a reliable and firm bearing surface for the securement of a lift to the heel, as well as protecting the heel against subsequent damage when the lift is accidentally pulled away from the heel without the wearers knowledge.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved reinforcing means for the heel of a ladies shoe, said reinforcing means being relatively inexpensive, being inconspicuous in appearance, and not interfering with the attachment of a conventional lift to the bottom of the heel, while at the same time serving to guard the heel against breaking or splitting, particularly, when the lift is accidentaly detached from the heel.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved reinforcing and protective brace for a ladies heel, said brace being especially useful with heels of the relatively thin type which are ordinarily easily broken or damaged.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a dotted perspective view of a ladies heel construction showing the manner in which an improved brace device according to the present invention is installed between the main body portion of the heel and the associated lift, the brace device and the lift being shown in full lines.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a brace device such as is employed in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a transverse vertical cross-sectional view taken centrally through the brace device of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a dotted perspective view of another ladies heel construction employing a modified form of brace device according to the present invention, the brace device and the associated lift being shown in full line view.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the brace device employed in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a transverse vertical cross-sectional view taken centrally through the brace device of FIGURE 5.

The current styles of thin elongated heels give rise to considerable difficulty from splitting and breakage because of the inherent fragility of such heels and because of the difficulty of fitting satisfactory lifts to the heels and retaining the litfs. The lifts are frequently lost, exposing the bottom ends of the heels to abrasion and breakage, particularly since the bottom ends of the heels are of very small area. Thus, the heels are frequently split or broken after only a few wearings. Furthermore, with heels of this type, the lifts originally furnished are of relatively rigid material, such as metal or hard plastic, and are relatively noisy, as well as damaging to linoleums atet and other types of floor coverings. Also, these rigid lifts tend to develop sharp edges which cause stockings and other garments to be torn when they come into contact with the lifts. Because of these disadvantages, the users often desire to replace the rigid lifts with lifts of relatively deformable material, such as leather or rubber; However, it is almost impossible to fasten a rubber or leather lift to the bottom end of the heel because of its small area and because of the absence of a fiatbearing surface for the lift.

A prime purpose of the present invention is toover come the above difficulties by providing a positive protective covering for the vulnerable portion of the heel as well as rigidifying same, and by providing a flat, highly durable bearing surface against which the lift can be secured, so that the lift will not tend to rock or tilt away from the bottom of the heel. Furthermore, the present invention provides a means whereby a lift of relatively deformable material may be reliably secured to the bot tom end of a relatively thin heel.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, a typical heel of the elongated thin type now currently in vogue is shown in dotted view at 11. Designated at 12 is a lift, which may be-of relatively deformable material, such as leather or rubber. The lift 12 is secured to the bottom end of the heel 11 by means of a plurality of small spaced nails 13 which extend upwardly through the lift into the bottom end of the heel through an aperture 14 provided in'the base portion 15 of a generally L-shaped metal brace member 16, said base portion being interposed between the lift and the bottom end of the heel.

The brace member 16 is formed with the upstanding leg 17, which is of substantial height and which is en gaged against the inside front surface- 18 of the heel,

being secured thereto by a small nail 19 driven through an aperture 26 provided in the upper portion of the leg 17. A vertical stiffening corrugation 21 is formed in the lower central portion of leg 17 to rigidity same.

The base portion 15 is shaped to conform generally with the shape of the bottom tip of the heel and is provided with an upstanding generally-triangular'peripheral flange 22 opposite the leg 17 to engagearound the rear edge portion of the heel tip.

Base portion 15 is substantially flat so as to provide a firm and positive flat bearing surface for the lift 12, which is held tightly against said base portion by the fastening nails 13 passing through the aperture 14, as above described.

Since the leg 17 is located adjacent the inside surface 18 of the heel, it is practically unnoticeable, yet provides an efficient reinforcing effect and protects the heel against damage in the event of loss of the lift 12. Furthermore; it makes it very easy to replace the lift, since it provides a rigid bearing surface against which the lift may be secured.

Obviously, the brace member may be made in various shapes, in accordance with the different shapes of heels to be reinforced. FIGURES 4, S and 6 illustrate the use of a metal brace member 16 constructed in accordance with the present invention, applied to a heel 11 of the low type.

The brace member 16' comprises the flat base portion 15' shaped to conform with the shape of the bottom end of the low heel l1 and formed with the aperture 14' through which the spaced lift-securing nails 13 pass. As in the previously described form of the invention, the lift, shown at 12, is fastened beneath the base portion 15 with the upstanding leg 17 of the brace member disposed adjacent the inside surface 18' of the low heel. An aperture 20 may be provided in the upper portion of the lift-fastening nails 13' may be relied upon for secur ing the assembly. a

As in the previously described form of the invention, the base portion 15" is provided opposite the upstanding leg 17' with a generally triangular peripheral flange 22' which extends around and protectively covers the rear portion of the bottom end of the heel 11'.

It will be noted that in both of the specific embodiments of the heel brace-above described, the upstanding forwardly facing reinforcing leg'17 or 17' may be suita'bly contoured at its lateral side edges to conform with the contour of the adjacent sides of the heel, but at its bottom, the reinforcing leg is substantially coextensive in width with the bottom front corner of the heel so asto substantially completely cover and protect said bottom front corner. a

The brace member 17 or 17 is preferably made of relatively thin sheet metal of sufficient hardness to resist deformation or abrasion, and may be suitably colored or v dyed to match the color of the heel with which it is used.

A brace member according to the present invention may also be used as a cleat without a lift, in which case, the large aperture '14 or 14' is omitted, and in its place three small holes are provided for nails, whereby the brace member can be alfixed to the heel and used merely as a cleat without the attachment of a lift thereto.

While certain specific embodiments of an improved reinforced ladies heel construction have been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a heel construction, a main depending heel body terminating in a bottomend, a generally L-shaped sheet metal brace member having a flat base portion disposed subjacent said bottom end and having a rigid up-v standingleg of substantial height disposed adjacent the front inner surface of the heel body, a lift disposed beneath'said base portion, fastening means extending upwardly through said lift and base portion and engaged in the heel body, whereby to secure the lift against said flat base portion, additional fastening means extending through the upper portion of said leg into said heel body, and an upstanding peripheral flange on said base portion opposite said upstanding leg and extending around the rear corner portion of said bottom end, said base portion and peripheral flange conforming with the shape of said bottom end.

2. In a heel construction, a main depending heel body terminating in a bottom end, a generally L-shaped sheet metal brace member having a flat base portion disposed su-bjacent said bottom end and having an upstanding rigid leg of substantial height disposed adjacent the front inner surface of the heel body, said base portion being formed with an aperture, a lift disposed beneath said base portion, a plurality of spaced fastening nails extending upwardly through said lift and through said aperture in said base portion and engaged in the heel body, whereby to secure the lift against said base portion, and an upstand-' ing peripheral flange on said base portion opposite said upstanding leg and extending around the rear corner portion of said bottom end, said base portion and peripheral flange conforming with the shape of said bottom end.

3. In a heel construction, a main depending heel body terminating in a bottom end, a generally L-shaped sheet metal brace member having a fiat base portion disposed subjacent said bottom end and having an upstanding rigid leg of substantial height disposed adjacent the front inner surface of the heel body, the upper portion of said leg being formed with an aperture, said base portion being formed with an aperture, a lift disposed beneath said base portion, a plurality of spaced fastening nails extending upwardly through said lift and through said aperture in said base portion and engaged in the heel body, whereby to secure the lift against said base portion, an upstanding peripheral flange on said base portion opposite said upstanding leg and extending around the rear corner portion of said bottom end, said base portion and peripheral flange conforming with the shape of said bottom end, and additional fastening means extending through said aperture in the upstanding leg and engaged in the heel body.

4. A heel brace for ladies heels comprising a generally L-shaped sheet metal body having a flat base portion formed with an aperture large enough to receive a plurality of spaced fastening nails and having a rigid upstanding leg of substantial height, said leg being apertured at its upper portion to receive a fastening nail, said base portion being sbapedto engage beneath the end of a heel and said upstanding leg being shaped to engage against the front inside surface of the heel, and an upstanding peripheral flange on said base portion, opposite said upstanding leg and being adapted to extend around the rear corner portion of the bottom of the heel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 847,575 Great Britain Sept. 7, 1960 

